LILOAN, CEBU, Philippines — Hello everyone! I included a dateline in this post because we have been receiving messages asking where in the world are we and how Nicholas, Antoinette, and Jeffrey got their Covid-19 vaccines?
I would really love to answer all of your questions but I’m not a medical person so I suggest that you check the websites of the Department of Health in the Philippines and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for more information. If your child or children have special conditions, please make sure to contact your physician or healthcare provider. Do not just Google your way into this please.
Many of you asked “what happened to the mutants” after they got their first dose. Most of the questions revolved on the “after effects of the vaccine.” Some asked if our children vomited or had severe allergic reaction. The short answer is NO; none of my three children vomited or had severe allergic reaction.
But here goes the summary of what each child “felt” from the lenses of this mother who watched and observed them like a hawk for 48 hours after they got their first shot.
✅ Nick (8), Toni (8), and JJ (6) had their first dose of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine last February 16 (Wednesday) at around 11:00 a.m. It was the opening salvo of the vaccination program (dubbed as Resbakuna Kids) of our local government, the Municipality of Liloan, for children between the ages of 5 and 11. The inoculation was held at the gym of Yati Elementary School in Barangay Yati, Liloan, Cebu, which is located around 10-12 minutes from our home.
✅ The venue was decorated with balloons and buntings. Children were given claim stubs that they could present at the last step to claim their toys.
✅ The children sat on plastic chairs while waiting for their turn to be registered. The parents were asked to go up on stage to avoid overcrowding. When it is the child’s turn to be registered, the parent/guardian goes with the child. Prepare a copy of the birth certificate as the personnel in-charge would check and write the full name of the child, birthdate, the name of the parent/guardian, and the current date. The parent/guardian should also prepare his/her vaccination card. Don’t forget to sign the document. Signature above printed name.
✅ Step 2 was all about getting the weight, temperature, etc of the child. Forgive me if I forgot the sequence but I think the vaccination cards were also handed to the parents/guardians in this step. The children also received loot bags containing candies, chocolates, and biscuits.
✅ A nurse interviewed us for any health conditions and other pertinent details to ensure that it is safe for the child to get the vaccine. The nurse would also remind the parents to prevent the children from leaving the house after they got their vaccine. Parents/guardians are also reminded to refrain from giving the children food that can trigger allergic reaction.
✅ Injection time! Note to the people who are assigned in this station: Antoinette made a very good point. She said that nurses should not lie by saying that “it doesn’t hurt.” To quote Antoinette: “It hurts but the pain is like an ant bite so tell the children that it hurts like an ant bite and stop saying that it does not hurt.” Are we clear on this?
✅ Children are then ushered to the final stop where they are advised to stay for 30 minutes for observation. The paperworks are submitted to the personnel-in charge and then they claim their toys using the stubs (bearing numbers) that they received at Step 1. The health workers in this area place a certain time on the shirts of the children to indicate the time that they are to approach another set of health workers (e.g. doctor or nurse) who would give another round of reminders about food to avoid. They also remind parents/guardians to let the children drink plenty of water. The doctor/nurse then signs the vaccination card at the back and then, you’re free to go. Don’t forget to take a photo at the Resbakuna Kids’ backdrop. Post on your social media accounts and encourage more families to get their children vaccinated.
✅ A few steps away from the vaccination venue was a Korean restaurant that we wanted to try for so long. We had lunch there. JJ felt tired an hour after he got the shot. We went home around 12:45 and had each child drink two glasses of water.
✅ JJ said he wanted to take a siesta because was pretty exhausted. He was warm. Body temperature: 37.4 C. He slept from 1:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Shortly after waking up, he went down to play and then watched a nature show with his siblings. He ate three apples and a full dinner (porkchop, mashed potato, steamed broccoli).
✅ The following day, February 17, Nicholas’ body temperature was at 37.5 C at around 10 a.m. We had him drink plenty of water. My sister, a pharmacist and works for a hospital, said there’s no need to give the kids paracetamol if they’re exhausted. Water therapy and rest usually works, she said. I listened to her. Nick had an early lunch of fried fish, stir-fried ampalaya, and rice. He read a few pages of the second Harry Potter book. Around noon, he took a nap. He woke up at around 3 p.m. perky and ready to play with his siblings.
✅ The vaccine didn’t appear to have any after effects with Antoinette. The appetite remained the same; this means eating one breakfast, two morning snacks, one lunch, two afternoon snacks, one dinner, one post-dinner snacks, and midnight snacks. Antoinette didn’t have any of the side effects below:
❌ Pain where the shot was given
❌ Fatigue
❌Headache
❌Chills
❌Muscle pain
❌Fever
❌Joint pain
❌Swollen lymph nodes
❌Nausea
❌Decreased appetite
✅ Jeff and I were both at the vaccination site on a weekday to show our children that it is important to get vaccinated as it provides another layer of protection for us, the people we care about, the Filipinos, the people around the world. We explained how this move creates a domino effect.
✅ Today, February 19, the house is a mess (what’s new?). The boys had a wrestling match that made Antoinette comment again that her brothers are “handsome headaches.” Our main internet connection is down and Daddy is not happy about it. There’s no observed side effects from the shots that the children got last Wednesday. Second dose is on March 10 and yes, we will be there.
I hope this helps allay your fears about getting your children vaccinated. Vaccines save lives. Go out there and get vaccinated!
